Rethinking my "travel" Dive Gear

[Gambitt]

After about a dozen trips south, hauling a Ton of dive gear, thru airports and hotels; I'm really thinking about scaling it back this time.

My regs and dive computer are definately going... This is the stuff that keeps you alive.  My mask is going, since No hotel is going to have the Pro-ear masks with ear protection. Snorkle ? 3 oz.  it goes!

But, as far as my BCD... It weighs a ton, even dry.   The rental BCD's are usually in decent shape and if there was an emergency, and it started to flood; I could send it to the bottom. Most BCD's have pockets to stick in the couple of weights I use, so a weight belt isn't nessessary.

Fins?  I love my Aqua-Lung super gel split fins... But could I do a dive or 3, with what they have for rentals?  Sure I could.

Wetsuit?  I could get a rental, but mine fits me so well; for the weight of a 3mm, I think it's worth taking. (but just the one... I can get by without the shortie)

I'm doing a Night dive at the Montego Bay Marine park, so a dive light is a must; but I think I'll save the weight, and buy batteries there.  A few $ extra are worth the weight.

Tool kit... Tools weigh a ton, and while yes, it could save a dive; You can improvise a lot, with just a pair of pliers and a screwdriver borrowed from the garden staff.

My dive camera is so light, that it's not worth it not to take. (or I could just "steal" a few of PS808's photos... naw, no one would ever beleive that I could do that well with a camera!  )

I'm only going to take one of my logbooks.  My dive log weighs about 5 lbs, with all the maps, brochures and info-sheets that it contains but if I take my Cert cards, and my most recent logbook, why do I need the rest? (no resort has ever asked to see it, even though it says they "might")  My C-cards are spaced-out over several years, so I must have been doing some diving over the years.


I'm open to suggestions from the other divers here, if you can think of more adds/subtracts I can do?

[Kiknads]

I'm looking at swapping out the super handy, extra heavy, roller dive bag for an ultralight hockey bag to save on some weight

Buying batteries there is a good idea, wish I'd thought of that before

With so many airlines eliminating that all important second bag, and a couple (air pacific as one I know for sure) starting to weigh your carry on bag its getting more important to eliminate what you can

[Gambitt]

Last year, before going away, My parents gave me a 3-piece luggage set.  

I passed on the carry-on size (I think Logan used it) since I use my camera-backpack; But I'm thinking the "overnight" bag would be big enough for my "reduced dive gear" and use the travel bag for everything else.
 Best thing is, they "stack" for towing, so I'd only have to pull the one bag.

 

btw, if your carry-on is overweight, tell them it is loaded with some scuba gear, (such as regs and a dive computer) that thier own website says NOT to pack in a checked bag;...

BUT, that IF they Personally want to give you a Signed letter saying that They told you to put it in the "weight-free, But checked luggage, scuba bag,"  that you would be Happy to do so!....

Suddenly, an over-weight carry-on is no longer a problem????

[Pacific State 808]

I have always struggled with what to take and what too leave at home.

I always take one full complete set of kit. I use a Poseidon Besea W50 BCD which takes up the most room and is reasonably heavy, but it is just so comfortable and are made to perfection. They are more or less built to your frame and it has a hard back plate which takes a lot of weight off your spine when your not in the water. I have done 300 or so dives with this BCD and it still looks like new, a little wear and tear but nothing much.

Always use my own regs, I have changed the hoses to mi-flex hoses which will reduce the weight down to a bare minimum and are well worth adding to your regs if you come across them. One set of Scubapro twin jet max fins, again heavyish, and a couple of spare spring straps, I take two Atomic masks and a snorkel, a 3mm full length wetsuit and boots. I always take an SMB, a few tools, just a screwdriver and an adjustable spanner and a decent torch. Problem regarding the torch is that the body is heavy, and so are the interchangeable heads for it, (you can use either an HID/ LED or a standard bulb fitting, but they come as three seperate heads) so I just take the HID head which is the brightest and has a longer burn time, but on the downside, is also the heaviest.

That all goes in as check in luggage......I hate it, it's just such a gamble and it never sits easy with me. I try if possible to squeeze my torch in my carry on bag as that cost me $1200 and would be a pain in the ass to lose. My regs I always try to carry on too but it's not always possible.

I take my computer, 2 x cameras, 2 x underwater housings, my wide angle lense (which cost me ridiculous money even after importing it direct from Japan at half the cost it would of done if I bought it from the UK, so that definately stays with me) and a macro lense, spare parts for the cameras, and my log book all goes into my carry-on. I don't really log my dives any more so I just have my diving cards and I keep maps and information etc in my log book these days. My carry-on is rammed, and it's heavy so it's always a massive struggle to then get in a torch and regs. I always end up having to make a decision of what to take with me and what goes in the hold. We have these metal frame things in London which you are asked to place your carry-on bag inside it to make sure its the correct size, if it dosent fit inside you can't take the carry-on on to the plane, so you can't really scam more things on like you could a few years ago.

I normally then pack in the minimum clothes, you can't afford to dress to impress and that's it...I just hate packing ! If diving from a resort, I would do the same as you Eric, regs, computer, mask, fins, SMB, and camera stuff and then rent the rest. If you know the rental gear is ok, make the most of it mate as it will save you dragging tons of gear around.

[Gambitt]

At this rate, my carry-on is going to weigh more than my checked-bag. 

Add up my cameras, lenses, laptop,dive computer and regs (all the stuff they tell you not to put in a checked bag) and it will weigh more.